Why Do Japanese Sleep On Floors? Understanding Japanese Culture

Humans have come up with some amazing inventions over the years, but human cultures remain an exciting topic to most people. Most parts of the world act in an almost similar fashion, but some nations stand out.

One of these nations is Japan. Japan has one of the richest cultures on the planet, and they are a nation that has held onto these cultures despite their vast technological advancements. Let us take a deeper look at Japanese culture to understand what it is all about;

Why Do Japanese Sleep On Floors?

Sleeping on the floor is a culture that has been held up in Japan for thousands of years. Sleeping on the floor offers cooler air, better muscle and joint rest, better circulation, and it saves space in the room. Sleeping on the floor is also much cheaper than buying a bed and a mattress that might cost thousands of dollars.

The Reasons Behind Japanese Politeness

Japan has around one hundred and twenty-six million citizens, and most of them dwell in bigger cities like Tokyo and Kobe. Such a large population crammed into a small Island means that people have to figure out how to get along. 

Japan has many locals with few foreigners living among them; thus, they are coherent in cultures, values, and behaviors. 

The Japanese have been referred to as one nation, one race, one civilization and culture, and their homogenous arrangement is outstanding.

Politeness is a standard part of the Japanese; therefore, most foreigners admire this character. Here are some possible reasons why they are so polite;

1. Philosophy and Religion

In Japanese culture, a person’s family and country are considered more crucial than the subject. These ideas stem from Confucius, a Chinese philosopher who gave stringent laws of social conduct.

For centuries, the Japanese have learned that they have to be responsible parts of their families and countries from a young age. This ensures they grow to serve other people’s needs before personal vendetta. 

This made the people obedient and passive as they got used to having their lives managed by strict guidelines. Even as the rules became lighter, the tradition stayed, and it changed into politeness.

2. Group Culture and Guidelines

Japanese tradition is very complicated, and there are fine rules between what is right and wrong. This culture continues to have a strong influence on anyone who lives or works in Japan. The group is seen as more vital than an individual.

If you go against the norms at any point, it will affect how other people see you, and your character and value will be in question if they look at you unpleasantly.

This is clear in the language, having a formal and informal form, making it hard for outsiders to learn Japanese. 

The good part of these rules is that they help maintain social harmony and live together smoothly. These guidelines prevent friction in most areas since people communicate and connect on the same level.

3. Children’s Schooling and Upbringing 

Parents emphasize instilling social manners so that the kids avoid stirring issues with them or other people. 

A majority learn the vitality of comprehending social rules, so their character doesn’t displease others. 

Parents value a close bond with their kids and spend a lot of time together. This connection makes children want to do right by their parents. Thus they go with the confines that their parents’ outline for them.

Children are taught correct ways of carrying themselves together and helping each other get tasks done. 

For instance, they have to clean their schools each evening and be nice to teachers, other adults, and fellow students.

Students enjoy learning to work together, and through this, they learn to appreciate each other for their skills. 

Many schools need their students to wear uniforms which makes them more receptive to their unity.

Japanese Culture Day

Celebrating your culture is an integral part of knowing and appreciating who you are. It is an excellent way to strengthen your roots, and it gives a strong sense of belonging and pride in your culture. This is why in Japan, they celebrate Japanese culture day.

The Japanese celebrate their culture every year on November 3rd. The Japanese constitution established this day as a national holiday, and all the people strictly observe it. 

This occasion is also called Bunka no Hi, and it is a venue through which the Japanese celebrate their culture, arts, and academia. 

This day is celebrated annually to respect the traditional Japanese culture and promote constitutional peace and freedom.

This public holiday was officially announced after the 2nd World War. In the first week of November, the Japanese observe education and culture week. They hold events related to culture and education, creating a deep interest for people in Japanese culture. 

Culture day has been a national holiday in Japan since 1948, and it was established two years after the announcement of the Japanese constitution. November 3rd is unique because it was the late Emperor Meiji’s birthday.

Emperor Meiji ruled Japan from 1867 to 1912, and the holiday was initially named after him to give respect, but the Government later changed it to culture day. Culture day celebrations are not limited to November 3rd, and they go on for several days.

The different festivities that go on in various places around Japan encourage people to engage in their traditions. 

The museums are free to visit on culture day, so the people get a chance to learn about their roots and country.

Numerous prestigious award ceremonies are organized to recognize the efforts of individuals that support Japanese culture. This day is also crucial for Universities and students across the country.

Schools display their students’ artwork to show off their talents, and other events like parades and festivals take place on this day. 

These parades showcase the traditions and clothing of Japanese culture to help people learn more.

The Government organizes these events, which is a big part of why Japan has managed to keep most of its beliefs and traditions for so long. Japan’s cultures are spreading across the globe, and people are embracing more of their ideas.

If you are looking for a nice place to visit, Japan is a place that should be at the top of your list but learn about their culture before traveling.

Interesting Facts About Japan

To understand people, you need to know as much as you can about their traditions and rules to act around them. Japan has some interesting facts that are worth noting and are fun to know, so let’s get to it;

• Japan is often referred to as the land of the rising sun. This is because, from china, the sun appears to rise from Japan. It is an Island country located in Southeast Asia, and it is made up of more than 6800 Islands.
• Of the 6800 Islands, 4 make up 97% of the land area in Japan, and more than 70% of Japan is mountainous. These four largest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. 
• Japan experiences over 1500 earthquakes each year.  This has pushed them to make incredible innovations that help them deal with most of these disasters without casualties. There are 110 closely monitored active volcanoes in Japan.
• Japan has the second-highest life expectancy in the world. Women have a life expectancy of 87, while men can expect to live up to 80 years. This is attributed to Japan’s traditionally healthy diet comprising more fish and vegetables than red meat.
• Japan has a unique ruling system; it does not have a president; and instead, it has a prime minister and an emperor. The emperor is the ceremonial head of state and constitutional monarch in Japan.
• Japan enjoys all four seasons. In most parts of Japan, summer is humid and quite hot; there are about six weeks of heavy rain from early summer. Winter is significantly colder in the Northern parts of Japan than in the south.
• Each season is often associated with particular foods. Various dishes made with bamboo shoots are common in the spring, cool noodles and watermelons during summer, apples and chestnuts in autumn, and Nabe in the winter. 
• The greater Tokyo area is the most populated city on the planet. The Tokyo metropolitan area has a human population of 38.4 million; thus, it is the most populated city globally.

Conclusion

Sleeping on the floor is a common thing in Japan, and it has been embraced worldwide since it offers a wide range of advantages. 

It takes up less space in the room, and it provides better positioning for your back. Thus you won’t have to deal with back pains.

Japan is an exciting place to be, and there is a lot to learn from how the people carry themselves. The Japanese are polite, primarily because the parents raise each coming generation to be concerned about others more than themselves.